Antarctica Wildlife
Antarctic Wildlife
Antarctica is a continent of extremes. It holds the title of coldest, driest and windiest location on earth. Temperatures have been recorded as low as -129 degrees F, with winds blasting along the coastline at speeds up to 200 mph. Its average interior precipitation is less than a couple of inches per year, making Antarctica a peculiar and brilliant frozen desert of snow. But even in such harsh conditions Antarctica remains the home of a large variety of extraordinary wildlife.
Wildlife in Antarctica is most active in the austral summer months. During this time seals, whales, penguins and a large diversity of other seabirds migrate to the continent to breed and feed on the virtually unlimited supply of krill, crustaceans, and fish. Each summer month has its own unique wildlife viewing opportunities not to be missed.
Antarctica cruises offer amazing wildlife viewing opportunities and the following tables can help in planning your Antarctic travel.
Antarctic Birds
Millions of seabirds breed along the coast and offshore islands of Antarctica. To survive in the biting environment, Antarctic birds have waterproof plumage, and large compact bodies with a dense layer of fat under their skin. There are nineteen species of seabirds that breed along the continent. Due to the shortage of snow-free nesting regions, most seabirds tend to procreate in large, impressive concentrations making for ideal viewing conditions for the bird enthusiasts. The birds will migrate north as the summer months come to an end, spending the winter in more temperate climates.
| Species | Population | Breeding Month | Birthing Month | Characteristics |
| Albatrosses (various species) |
750,000 pairs | Dec - July | Feb - Oct | Capable of flying 550 miles per day at speeds of 50 mph |
| Snow Petrels | 1,000 pairs | Oct - Nov | Dec. | Will desert their eggs if nests are overly disturbed |
| Cormorants | 10,000 pairs | Aug - Oct | Nov - Feb | Shore-feeding birds, rarely seen out of the sight of land |
| Antarctic Fulmars | Several 100 thousand | Oct - Dec | Jan | Capable of spitting foul smelling oil up to 5 feet if nests are threatened |
| Gulls | Several 100 thousand | Nov - Dec | Jan | Aggressive; robbing other bird's nests of eggs |
| Sheathbills | 100,000 pairs | Sept - Nov | Nov | Scavengers; only Antarctic bird that does not have webbed feet |
| Skuas | Several 1,000 pairs | Oct - Dec | Dec - Jan | Southern most bird; sightings have occurred at South Pole |
Penguins
One of Antarctica's most familiar wildlife, penguins are considered by many to be the continent's signature species. They spend over 75% of their lives as sea where they are most comfortable. Their bodies are designed for swimming. Powerful paddle muscles and a compact hydrodynamic body shape allow penguins to swim up to 25 mph. Impressive and elegant in the water, by contrast penguins awkwardly waddle and hop once ashore.
While seventeen species of penguins can be found in the subantarctic regions - including coastal islands - only four types of the flightless birds breed on the continent itself: the Emperor, Adelie, Chinstrap, and Gentoo penguins.
| Species | Population | Breeding Month | Birthing Month | Characteristics |
| Adelie | 2.5 million pairs | Sept - Oct | Dec | In winter, remain at sea, resting on pack ice and iceberg groups |
| Emperor | 200,000 pairs | Winter months | Sept | Permanent habitants of Antarctica; the only bird that breeds in winter |
| Chinstrap | 7 million pairs | Oct - Nov | Jan - Feb | Can only dive a max. of 230 feet, lasting no more and a half a minute |
| Gentoo | 300,000 pairs | Sept - Oct | Nov | The least abundant penguin species on the subantarctic islands |
Antarctic Seals
Much of the early exploration of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean was do to the search for new seal communities. During the 19th and 20th century, many seals were hunted for their valuable skins and oils. Entire populations of species were driven to the brink of extinction. Thankfully, today, the seals are protected by a collection of agencies, and their numbers have continued to thrive. Because of the nutrient-rich feeding regions, and the lack of polar bears, the Antarctic has a much larger seal population than the Arctic. Most of the their life is spent in water, but seals must return to land to breed. The best locations to view their breeding grounds are on the pack ice surrounding Antarctica, or along the coastal shores of the northern islands.
| Species | Population | Breeding Month | Birthing Month | Characteristics |
| Crabeater | 30 million | Austral spring | Dec - Jan | Largest consumer of krill, consuming 20-25 times their body weight a year |
| Fur | 4 million | Nov - Dec | Nov - Jan | Their valued fur led to much of the early exploration of Antarctica |
| Leopard | 250,000 | Austral summer | Nov - Dec | Only seal that eats its other seals |
| Ross | 200,000 | Austral spring | Nov | Has a siren-like call |
| Southern Elephant | 700,000 | Aug - Sept | Austral summer | Can dive deeper than 3200 ft., up to 2 hours |
| Weddell | 800,000 | Dec | Sept - Oct | Lives farther south than any other mammal, inhabiting waters just 800 miles from South Pole |
Whales
Whales are divided into two main groups: toothed and baleen. The only toothed whales found in the Antarctic are the Orca and the Sperm whale, while a variety of baleen whales have been sighted: Blue, Fin, Humpback, Minke, Sei, and Southern Right. Unlike the other wildlife of Antarctica, whales do not breed in the region. However, they do take advantage of the nutrient-filled waters in the austral summer, traveling great distances from their temperate breeding waters in the north. Like seals, several species of whales were hunted until near extinction in the mid-1900s. While regulations have been placed on whaling activities, these magnificent giants have not seen their populations recover as well as the seals. Today, the entire area surrounding Antarctica is recognized as a whale sanctuary.
| Species | Population | Size | Diet | Characteristics |
| Blue | 11,000 | 85-100 ft. long | Krill, other crustaceans | Largest whale and the largest animal ever to live on earth |
| Fin | 100,000 | 80-90 ft. long | Squid, krill, fish | Fastest of the baleen whales |
| Humpback | 20,000 | 40-50 ft. long | Krill, fish | Very vocal, their complex songs can last 20 min. and be heard 20 miles away |
| Minke | 500,000 | 30 ft. long | Krill, fish, squid | Only whale still hunted commercially by Japan and Norway |
| Orca | Several 100,00 thousand | 25-30 ft. long | Fish, birds, marine mammals | Hunt in packs; don't make the long seasonal migrations as other whales |
| Southern Right | 4,000 | 50 ft. long | Plankton, krill, crustaceans | Slow and easily hunted, they are only beginning to recover from extinction |
| Sperm | 750,000 | 50 ft. long | Giant squid, fish, octopus, skate | Swim in schools of 20-25; deepest diving mammal - up to 1 mile |
